“PROVE GOOD FAITH"

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 354, 15 May 1928, Page 13

“PROVE GOOD FAITH"

CHURCH’S EXHORTATION YOUTHS EXPLAIN ATTITUDE WILLING TO UNLOAD FRUIT Objectors to military service are exhorted to offer alternative service by a pronouncement made by the Auckland Presbytery yesterday. The Auckland youths who claimed objection have explained their attitude and offered to do work of an “entirely non-military” character. . After discussing the question in committee tor two hours, the Presbytery passed the following resolution unanimously: “The Presbytery of Auckland welcomes the statement of the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. J. Holies ton. to a deputation of the General Assembly’s public questions committee, and earnestly commends those claiming exemption from military service id prove their good faith by offering alternative non-military service.” The meeting was summoned by requisition and the notice read: ‘On Tuesday last the committee appointed by Presbytery to deal with the students claiming exemption from military services met those concerned and discussed the grave situation wliich has arisen through their refusal to offer alternative services. On the n« m day the assembly's public questioncommittee (Dr. Gibb and others) waited upon the Minister of Defem o and maintained the right of these students to abstain from offering alternative service- A grave crisis has arisen and vour committee seeks the ad\ > of Presbytery on the matter.” WOULD UNLOAD FRUIT A definition of the attitude of fivo objectors has been made by Mr. A. M. Ricliards. In a letter sent to the adjutant of his regiment, the writer says: “Should the Governor-in-Council <>r any other authority with the power to do so set us some non-military work to do, we should be glad to give equal tini* 13 days a year, I believe—in the hospital, doing electoral work, loading fruit off the Government ship or anything whatever, which will really be for the benefit of the country. For doing such work we could not, of course, accept military pay or consent to be entered on your books as having given military service. Su* ii work must be entirely of a non-military nature, since otheiwise it would be to us, dis-service to the country. “We have applied for exemption on religious grounds—it being in our casthe proper thing to do —and we are not prepared to gain it illegally on ground-; unprovided for by law. If exemption does not come to us legally we can only, of course, suffer the legal cDnsequeiK -s of our action. “The law represents the codified conscience of the community, and we do not seek to defy it, though we believe it our duty to act for the good of the community at all times—even, as In this ease, against, its own expressed judgment.’'